Behavior Specialist - Wethersfield, United States - Wethersfield Public Schools

Description

Position Type:
Paraprofessional Staff/Behavior Specialist

Location:
District Wide

Date Available:
ImmediateANNOUNCEMENT OF VACANCY

Wethersfield Public Schools

Wethersfield, CT

Behavior Specialist

Date Posted: January 2024

The Wethersfield Public Schools partner with the community and families in fostering our students' ongoing education in a safe and engaging learning environment. Our schools are demographically diverse and are characterized by respectful behavior, trusting relationships, caring educators/administrators/staff and continuous learning.

Position: Behavior Specialist

Reports To: Director/Supervisor for Special Services & Building Principal

Start Date: Immediate

Pay Grade: 4

Compensation: $23.24-$28.48 per hour worked

Work Year: 10 month position (late August - mid June)

Weekly Hours: Will vary (range hours per week)

Daily Hours: Monday - Friday (start and end times will vary based on building assignment; includes 30 minute unpaid lunch)

Benefits: This position is eligible for various benefits including paid sick time, paid personal days, and retirement benefits. Please note that health care, life insurance and disability benefits are only available for work assignments of 30 or more hours per week.

The Wethersfield Public Schools has multiple openings for a Behavior Specialist. Chosen candidates will be responsible for providing support - to one or more students throughout the academic day - in the areas of academic, social and behavioral growth and development. Behavior Specialists are critical to the student's ongoing success and will provide value through fostering positive relationships, communicating effectively with staff and students, demonstrating patience and compassion, maintaining confidentiality, always holding a positive attitude, demonstrating flexibility throughout the course of the day, and being one to establish/model the behavior and academic progress we seek in our students.

Candidates must be aware the district reserves the right to move Behavior Specialists between assignments/schools during the school year at its discretion in order to efficiently support and service our students. Additionally, some assignments may require the paraeducator to be assigned to a daily work schedule beyond the student school day in order to provide necessary adult supervision for students at all times (i.e., bus ride supervisor before/after school).

Duties of the position may include the following:

• Maintain a high level of fairness, respect and equity with students, families and staff;
• Understand and maintain boundaries and confidentiality with students, families and staff;
• Be able to work independently with small groups of students in various environments;
• Demonstrate willingness to work with all students with various levels of functioning and disabilities including but not limited to: learning disabilities, autism, intellectual disabilities, emotional disturbance, ADHD, speech/language impairments, multiple disabilities, etc., across all grade levels;
• Apply behavioral principles consistently in all interactions with clients and caregivers;
• Implement treatment plans under the direction of a BCBA/BCBA consultant;
• Provide individual support to students with identified behavioral concerns and needs;
• Consistently implement behavior plans to reduce client's socially inappropriate behavior and promote appropriate social behaviors, including skills in emotional regulation and problem solving;
• Effectively respond to and manage crisis situations which may include client physical aggression;
• Teach communication skills, social skills, self-help skills, and play skills through Applied Behavior Analysis principles;
• Work with students to effectively prevent discipline problems and promote relationship building;
• Communicate and collaborate effectively with co-workers, teachers, community partners, and administrative team;
• Implement and support behavior plans and strategies under teacher direction;
• Complete daily documentation and data collection notes in a detailed, accurate, consistent and timely manner; Collect and record student data adhering to the supervising teachers' directions and requirements;
• Act as a liaison between teachers;
• Accept work direction willingly, shift work assignments and accept changes and new job assignments as needed;
• Consult daily with special education teacher regarding daily responsibilities;
• Provide personal assistance to students, as needed, to address mobility, positioning, personal care, daily activities, and utilizing the restroom;
• Facilitate students with developing communication skills, social skills, academic skills, self-help skills and promoting independence;
• Ability to be trained in and implement Crisis Prevention and Intervention strategies, including de-escalation strategies and physical restraints;
• Utilize various forms of technology, including assistive technology, to support students learning and communication needs;
• As part of the daily work assignment, may be scheduled to ride the bus (before/after school) with students who require adult supervision;
• Other duties as assigned by administration.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Hold Associates Degree, have completed a minimum of 60 college credit hours, or have successfully completed ParaPro Assessment;
• Possess Registered Behavior Technician (RBT) credential and Trauma Informed Practices/Strategies training, or willing to participate in and successfully complete training in ABA/DTI Strategies and Trauma Informed Practices/Strategies trainings;
• Ability to work under the direction of classroom teacher and specialists;
• Experience working with students with special needs; highly preferred individuals who have specific training and/or experience with students with significant cognitive, social/emotional and learning needs;
• Ability to work cooperatively with administration, regular education teachers, support staff and parents;
• Ability to work with all levels of students with special needs and disabilities in general education settings, and/or special education settings including WPS district's special education programs;
• Must have capability to follow teacher and related staff instructions in regard to work modifications and behavior plans;
• Ability to review developmental and remedial materials in a clear and efficient manner;
• Ability to assist teacher in handling interruptions/emergencies, move swiftly, and hold training (or show ability to be trained) to perform physical restraint in case of emergency;
• Must be able to lift up to twenty-five (25) pounds;
• Ability to participate on Crisis Intervention Team including certification or willing to participate in Crisis Prevention Training including the use of restraint/seclusion practices;
• Must demonstrate ability to sit up to thirty (30) minutes on the floor or in a child-sized chair; additional requirements may include carrying, pushing, pulling, climbing/balancing, frequent stooping, kneeling and crouching (note: generally the job requires 40% sitting, 30% standing, 30% walking).

Typical Assignment Locations

Openings and assignments may vary. Typical Behavior Specialist assignments include the following work locations:

• Wethersfield High School - Alternate Day Program (ADP) - Program designed to return students successfully to the general education environment and/or graduate from Wethersfield High School by assisting students with special needs to learn to function successfully within the general school environment. Emphasis is placed on academic success through behavioral supports that include individualized and group counseling, individualized behavior plans, goals and objectives, and a structured point and level system to increase positive behaviors, socialization, and school success. The program also emphasizes small, structured classes, transitions from high school to postsecondary education or employment, and community participation.
• Hanmer Elementary School - STRIVE Program - Trauma informed program supporting student behavioral, emotional and academic needs with practices sensitive to the needs of traumatized learners. Through differentiated instruction, self-directed activities, social emotional learning, and counseling support, the program fosters the development of relationships and connectedness resulting in student achievement of skills necessary for an independent future.
• Webb Elementary School - ABA Program - Program utilizes principles of Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) to target academic, social/behavioral and communication skills. Program offers a lower student to teacher ratio, as well as sensory approaches to meet the needs of learners. Program is data-driven, which is used to inform program development, and focuses on inclusion within the general education environment for generalization of student skill.
• Highcrest Elementary School - Participating as an active member of the Crisis Intervention Team.
• Charles Wright Elementary School - Participating as an active member of the Crisis Intervention Team.
• Emerson Williams Elementary School - Participating as an active member of the Crisis Intervention Team.
• Hanmer Elementary School - Participating as an active member of the Crisis Intervention Team.
• Webb Elementary School - Participating as an active member of the Crisis Intervention Team.
• Silas Deane Middle School - Human Relations Classroom - Classroom for students experiencing social/emotional/behavioral issues utilizing trauma informed practices.
• Other work location as deemed appropriate and necessary by district administration.

Other Important Details

• Candidates MUST be both trained/qualified to perform the work in the specialized classroom or on school crisis intervention team AND be serving in that capacity in order to be classified by the District as a pay grade 4 Behavior Specialist. While employees may be placed in that environment, they will not be classified and/or paid as such if they have not completed the required training.
• Similarly, employees may have completed the required prerequisites for consideration for placement in the role, but if they have not yet been placed into one of the specialized classrooms or specifically on a school crisis intervention team the employee will not receive the classification or associated pay.
• The District maintains the right and flexibility to move staff members between a pay grade 4 Behavior Specialist role and a pay grade 2 Paraeducator role, as necessary, in order to address staffing needs, staff qualifications, and staff member performance. The District will not arbitrarily reassign staff members, but rather will reassign only when student needs dictate a change in staffing requirements, a staff member demonstrates the ability (or inability) to meet all position requirements, and/or a staff member's performance dictates a change in status should be made. The District will make every attempt to provide advance notice should a change in job classification be required, but will not be limited to doing so with any minimum prescribed advance notice.

All applicants must apply on-line at

Wethersfield Public School System-Nondiscrimination Policy

The Wethersfield Public Schools is committed to a policy of equal opportunity/affirmative action for all qualified persons and equal access to Boy Scouts of America and to other designated youth groups. The Wethersfield Public Schools does not discriminate in any employment practice, education program, or educational activity on the basis of race, color, religious creed, sex, age, national origin, ancestry, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity of expression, disability (including, but not limited to, intellectual disability, past or present history of mental disorder, physical disability or learning disability), genetic information, or any other basis prohibited by Connecticut state and/or federal nondiscrimination laws. The Department of Education does not unlawfully discriminate in employment and licensing against qualified persons with a prior criminal conviction. Inquiries regarding the Wethersfield Public School System's nondiscrimination policies and practices should be directed to: Title IX Coordinator, Director of Special Services, 127 Hartford Avenue, Wethersfield, CT 06109.